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Reports spread Wednesday from news
sources like the Guardian U.K. to Stars and Stripes discussing new
leaked images that are apparently meant to depict China's prototype
stealth fighter, which some call the J-20, in ground tests. To be sure,
not all sources are convinced the pictures are representative of an
actual functional prototype. The images have appeared in Chinese
language editions of the Global Times and Chinese censors have not
removed the images, according to Forbes.com, but they also have not confirmed them.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was scheduled to be in Beijing on
Sunday, which has promoted some speculation with regard to the timing of
the images' release. Guardian.co.uk states the photos are "likely to
prompt calls for accelerated production of F35's," which broadly
suggests the unconfirmed images may be used for political influence.
Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman Marine Col. Dave Lapan was quoted saying,
"It is not of concern that they are working on a fifth-generation
fighter." He added that they're "still having difficulties with their
fourth-generation fighter." If nothing else, the images are visually
appropriate for creating intrigue. More...

Pilots Require a Different
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AIRLINE
EXCLUDED FROM NTSB PROBEAmerican Airlines will not be
allowed to participate in the investigation of last week's
runway-overrun incident in Jackson Hole, Wyo., the NTSB said on Friday.
The safety board said airline technicians violated standard procedures
when they downloaded information from the digital flight data recorder
after it was removed from the incident aircraft, a 757. "Although a
thorough examination by our investigators determined that no information
from the DFDR was missing or altered in any way, the breach of protocol
by American Airlines personnel violates the Safety Board's standards of
conduct for any organization granted party status in an NTSB
investigation," said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman. "We have revoked the
party status of American Airlines and excused them from further
participation in this incident investigation." More...

SAFE
TO ADDRESS TRAINING REFORMThe Society of Aviation and Flight
Educators plans to host a GA Pilot Training Reform Symposium in May to
address issues that were raised at the AOPA Flight Training Summit in
November. The symposium, which is expected to include 150 to 300
participants, will focus on strategies to reduce fatal accidents,
increase student-pilot starts and improve student retention. The event
will feature keynote speakers as well as six panels of leaders from the
industry, academia, the FAA and the flight instructor community. "A new
pilot training paradigm is vital to securing a more robust future for
general aviation," according to the group's website. SAFE hopes the
symposium will help to create a strategic three-to-five-year plan
jointly developed by all stakeholders, including the FAA.
More...

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NTSB:
INSPECT ELT MOUNTSBased on recent history, the NTSB Friday
sent two safety recommendations to the FAA requiring operators to
inspect the mountings of all ELT transmitters installed on general
aviation aircraft to ensure the units don't break free in a crash. The
recommendations (PDF) are the
byproduct of the de Havilland turbine Otter crash in Alaska on Aug. 9,
2010, that killed five, including former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens. The
wreckage was found nearly five hours after the crash and while its 406
Mhz ELT had activated, the unit had separated from its antenna. No
satellites, or rescue aircraft involved in the search, were able to
detect the signal, according to the NTSB. NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman
summed up the problem simply. "This vital life-saving technology won't
do anyone any good if it doesn't stay connected to the antenna," said
Hersman. Click through for information regarding the particular unit
used in the accident aircraft. More...

Thanks from Chicago's Best
Arrival Option, JA Air Center!
Thanks to all the Flight Crews who made us their first choice for
Chicagoland arrivals in 2010! Whether it's the best location in Chicago
with direct tollway access, our giant arrival canopy, or our world-class
facilities that brought you here, we know it is our warm, friendly
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SEBRING
LSA SHOW, SKIPLANES, LAUNCH THE YEARFor those pilots ready
for a break from winter, the Sebring LSA Expo is coming up, and for
those who prefer to celebrate the snow, EAA invites skiplane pilots to
converge at Oshkosh, Wis. The sixth annual U.S. Sport Aviation Expo runs
Jan. 20-23 at the Sebring Regional Airport in central Florida. The event
provides an opportunity for pilots and enthusiasts to learn about the
sport pilot certificate and sample the wide range of LSA aircraft that
are available. The show features exhibits, workshops, demo flights and
forums. EAA's skiplane fly-in is set for Jan. 22 at the Pioneer Airport
in Oshkosh, with at least 25 aircraft expected to attend. The fly-in is
free and open to the public. More...

ALASKAN
PILOTS' REALITY FEATURED ON DISCOVERY CHANNELThe Discovery Channel launches a
new reality show this month, "Flying Wild Alaska," that follows the adventures of
Era Alaska, a family-owned charter company. Era is based in Unalakleet,
a small town on the coast near the Bering Strait. During the show's 10
episodes, "the Tweto family battles unforgiving Alaska weather and
terrain to transport life's necessities to one of the most remote and
extreme regions of America," according to Discovery. The company was
founded with just one airplane serving the local area but now comprises
nearly 75 aircraft that fly to destinations across the state. The show
focuses on the "quirky" and "passionate" members of the Tweto family --
Jim and his wife, Ferno, and their two 20-something daughters, Ayla and
Ariel -- but also includes plenty of flying action, with shots of
backcountry landings and flights in extreme conditions. "Mostly it's
just about flying airplanes in rural Alaska," Jim Tweto told The Alaska
Daily News. The series premieres Friday, Jan. 14, at 9 p.m. Eastern and
Pacific Time. More...

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BUSINESS
AVIATION PICKING UP IN BOSTONThe business aviation sector
got some positive press from the mainstream media this week when The Boston Globe reported that corporate jet
activity was up by 7 percent in 2010 at Hanscom Field, a small GA
airport close to the city. Bill Herp, president of Linear Air, said his
business doubled in 2010 compared to the year before. Herp charters four
Eclipse jets out of the field, charging about $1,500 an hour. Rectrix
Aviation, another local charter company, said business was up 15
percent, and they hired three pilots and added a jet to their fleet in
September. The number of jets based at Hanscom has increased by a third
in the last three years, and the Massachusetts Port Authority, which
operates the field, is planning to expand. More...

TAIWAN
GOVERNMENT STARTS CHARTER SERVICEThe Taiwanese government
has entered the jet charter business. The government-owned Aerospace
Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) flew its maiden flight last Saturday
from Taichung City in the interior of the island state to Kinmen Island,
off its coast. The company is using Astra SP aircraft it imported in
2000. The company hopes to run both domestic and international charters
and has set its sights Hong Kong, Macau, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo,
Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Manila. The big plum in the Taiwanese
charter business is behind a geopolitical roadblock. More...

SEAPLANE
SERVICE STARTED IN INDIAIt seems like every aspect of Indian
aviation is in a growth mode and a new service was added last week. The
first seaplane service to the Indian islands of Andaman and Nicobar has
been launched using a Cessna 208A on amphib floats. And, like a lot of
Indian aviation enterprises, it will rely heavily on foreign pilots and
other personnel to stay afloat. There is only one Indian pilot who has
flown the Caravan and none have flown it on floats. A couple of American
pilots will keep it island hopping while the company starting the
service, Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd., finds and trains locals to get
their feet wet. The Indian government is pretty enthusiastic about the
venture and predicts a big future for seaplane service.
More...

AVWEB
INSIDER BLOG: THE BOTTOM LINECould there be more to the
bottom line than just money? In the latest installment of our AVweb
Insider blog, Mary Grady looks at a new initiative aiming to
recognize that profit is not the only worthwhile measure of success,
especially when it comes to retaining students in flight schools and
getting them through the program and into certification. Read
more and join the conversation.More...

VIDEO:
757 OVERRUN VIDEO IGNITES PILOT SPECULATIONVideo
shot by a passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 2253 as it overran
Runway 19 at Jackson Hole, Wednesday, shows unusual operation of the
aircraft's systems, according to some pilots. The 6,300-foot runway sits
at an elevation of 6,451 feet and the pilots landed in light snow at
about 11:37 a.m. About seven inches of snow had fallen in the area since
midnight, but the runway itself was reportedly in good condition with
good braking coefficients. The aircraft appears to be on the ground
prior to passing the PAPI lights and wind sock, which would be
appropriate. In the video, the engine's thrust reverser panel first
moves just after touchdown, but it does not fully open and the outboard
spoilers are not visibly deployed. Because of that, things quickly get
more interesting. More...

VIDEO:
IFR MAGAZINE SHOWS YOU HOW TO USE A GPS FOR NDB-ONLY
APPROACHESYou
can't legally fly an NDB approach in the clouds using a GPS unless it
says "or GPS" in the title. But there's nothing that says you can't
practice VFR what it's like to fly an approach with a bearing pointer
and no moving maps. Come along with IFR magazine editor-in-chief
Jeff Van West and see how to make your glass cockpit (or portable GPS)
go retro to fly an old-school NDB approach just for the fun and
proficiency of it. More...

Peter Drucker
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Lately, we've featured FBOs that AVweb readers
have discovered far from home  typically in the midst of dealing
with a mechanical or weather crisis. But this week, Cathy Myers
shines the spotlight on Logan, Utah's Leading
Edge Aviation, located at Logan-Cache Airport (KLGU), where "a
cordial and welcoming atmospher [for] the local aviation community"
never takes a back-seat to the FBO's "excellent service to all types of
transient aircraft." How do they manage it? Cathy writes:

LEA has co-sponsored airport open house
festivities and provided discount fuel to all participating pilots. They
also organized and funded several cross-country fly-ins to the beautiful
Flaming Gorge area in northeast Utah. These events provided camping,
rafting, live music, dinner, and flying competitions. Safety, service
and professionalism is always the goal [at Leading Edge] and has always
been appreciated by those who stop in.

'PICTURE
OF THE WEEK' RETURNS ON MONDAYActually, we'll have updates
to the slideshow on our home page on Thursday morning, as usual, and
keen-eyed readers will be able to spot our weekly "POTW" column on the
web site later in the day  but since we've got an overstuffed bag
of e-mails and comments to look at tonight, we won't make our Thursday
morning deadline for the AVwebFlash. Not to worry, though 
if you don't catch "POTW" online later today, it'll be waiting in your
inbox on Monday morning. More...

Have a product or service to advertise
on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's
sales team.

If you're having
trouble reading this newsletter in its HTML-rich format (or if you'd
prefer a lighter, simpler format for your PDA or handheld device),
there's also a text-only version of AVwebFlash. For complete
instructions on making the switch, click
here.